Bullying at the University of Newcastle (Australia)

We are working to highlight and stop academic workplace bullying at the University of Newcastle, Australia. We are a group of staff and students who have been bullied for speaking out about misconduct.

Help make a difference –

*answer our survey,

*contribute to the blog, or

*contact us.

This will help us gather as much information as possible so that we can put an end to this bullying with its’ decades-long history.

“Systemic bullying, hazing and abuse generally are identified with poor, weak or toxic organizational cultures. Cultures that are toxic have stated ethical values that are espoused but not employed, and other non-ethical values which are operational, dominant, but unstated.

Such cultures thrive when good people are silent, silenced, or pushed out; when bad apples are vocal, retained, promoted, and empowered; and when the neutral majority remain silent in order to survive. Those who are most successful in such a toxic culture are those who have adapted to it, or adopted it as their own”. (McKay, Arnold, Fratzl & Thomas, 2008)

This conference focuses on
"the assessment and management of persons who engage in threatening and volatile behaviours. Such persons can include current and former students, faculty, staff and even members of the community at large. These individuals can be highly disruptive in campus settings. Their behaviours may range from tactics of bullying and intimidation, to stalking and harassment, to acts of severe violence that devastate a campus, workplace, family, and community."

This looks promising - over 170 staff, students or ex-staff and students have reported bullying, intimidation and harrassment at the University of Newcastle. Is the University responding to this????????.

So who are these people who need to be managed? Well, our survey reveals that they are managers, lecturers, senior lecturers and higher up the . Many have been promoted at the University for the skills at bullying and harrassment, especially if they have got rid of a whistleblower.

"We can't see anything wrong with the bullying culture at the University of Newcastle!"

Wait a minute......In the Newcastle Herald today, a "visiting security expert" said that "A MASS shooting could just as likely happen at the University of Newcastle as anywhere else in the world" and that ‘‘It’s not a high-likelihood event but if it happens it’s a high-consequence event".

Our survey shows the extent and severity of bullying and harrassment here BUT the University spends tax-payers' money on a conference addressing an event that is considered "NOT A HIGH-LIKELIHOOD EVENT". Meanwhile, to date,

37 respondents to our survey have considered suicide

Most have suffered substantial psychological and physical effects as well as losing their jobs, careers, families and friends.

Is this the HIGH-LIKELIHOOD AND HIGH-CONSEQUENCE EVENT that the university should be dealing with?